All Are Precious In His Sight

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world!
Red, brown, yellow, black, and white
All are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world!!

A few Sundays ago we had the privelege of meeting up with several adoptive families in our area. Children were abundant....from all over the world. Ethiopia, Russia, Liberia, Haiti, the States...with a couple on the way from China and a few biological sprinkled in.

Our children had a blast. They absolutely love playing with any and all children, but something about playing with other adopted children simply makes their day. They have one main thing in common. Adoption.

Especially Addie. She loves all things adoption. She loves to know that there are other children out there just like her and her brothers. She loves to have that commonality with other little girls.

Will? He really could care less. As long as the little fellas he's with are willing to be rough and tumble, he's happy.

Jack was in his own little world. Didn't even know that there were other children around unless he decided he wanted the toy that someone else had.

I also love being with other adoptive parents. They get me. They understand what I'm talking about when I say something about sleep issues. They understand what I'm saying when I talk about parent shopping and how thrilled I am that Jack hasn't really had that issue. They understand the ups and downs of adoption. They understand all the heartaches that my come with the territory.

You could talk to me all day about the trials and headaches of pregnancy and all that goes with it, and I would likely sit there with a blank look on my face. That stuff I don't get. I've never experienced it. I've never had to deal with feeding a baby at 3:00 in the morning...but I have dealt with children who won't go to sleep til midnight...and then wake up seven or eight times every night in tears...for months on end. I've never had to deal with the little personalities of a six month old baby...but I have dealt with the terrified screams of a three year old who wanted nothing but something familiar and normal. I've never had to deal with starting the potty training from scratch....but I have had to deal with re-training due to upsets in little lives. I've never had to deal with picky eaters...but I have had to deal with lots of choking due to huge bites and no chewing, which is a direct result of experiencing not nearly enough food.

I know. Biological children aren't that much different. And yet, I wonder if maybe they are. On the surface, no. To look at our children you wouldn't have a clue that they are any different than yours. They appear to be well adjusted children who know how to have a grand time. But at home, when life is just normal, the truth comes out. It's going to be difficult to bring a child home from an orphanage setting who doesn't have some sort of trauma in his/her history. The simple fact of being away from their birth parents as an infant would be more than enough.

But the fact of the matter is, any child who can survive the setting of an orphanage is a very special child. They are strong. They are tough cookies. And that is not something that is going to disappear instantly upon being thrust into a loving family setting.

On top of all the 'normal' child issues, adoptive families often deal with the aftermath of neglect and abuse. Not always. There are some super orphanages out there. But adoptive families will always deal with the issue of rejection to some degree. No matter the circumstance of the child's history, that child will likely feel rejected and the results of that feeling are not easy for a child to overcome.

So we had a great evening. Concerns were shared. Fears were tossed around. Ideas were handed out. Encouragment was abundant.

And the children played as any children would do when there are slews of them around. They loved life. They grasped the joys of childhood with both fists. They strengthened friendships and made new ones.

For a few hours their troubled pasts were pushed to the far back corner of their minds and they allowed themselves to be children.

What a blessing it is for parents and children alike to be able to share. To be able to share with folks that you know have been there, done that. To be able to pray for someone who you know is dealing with the exact same issues that you are.

I thank God for those few hours of time spent with friends.